Hi everyone. I am SO glad that I found this discussion board. I need some questions answered, and if any of you can help, I would greatly appreciate it. I have had a hiatal hernia for about
8 years now & I have taken Nexium every since the day that I was diagnosed (8 years ago). I finally got diagnosed after I was experiencing horrible acid reflux & went through many tests, including scopes & barium xrays. The Nexium worked for the first few years to control my acid reflux, but I have always experienced nausea & constipation off and on, depending on what I eat, you know? I just figured this was something I had to deal with. I am a very healthy eater - no greasy foods. I eat 4-6 small meals daily. I go for a checkup with my gastroenterologist every year. I always discussed my symptoms & he would basically tell me that I should try to live with the symptoms & if they get worse, to let him know. I feel as though over the last couple years, my symptoms are getting MUCH worse. I experience upper back pain, upper abdominal pressure (it feels as though someone is standing on my upper abdomen), my acid reflux is worse even when I take my nexium daily and the worst symptom of all is my breathing. I cannot breath normally, and this is hard for someone who is very active like me (I perform in triathalons regularly). I feel like I have shallow breathing & when I try to catch a solid, deep breath, I usually can't. I feel as though every couple minutes I try to breath deeply & it gets cut off. I have to basically sit up really straight & raise my shoulders up to breath in deep, and sometimes I get a satisfying breath, but usually not. I went for a checkup with my gasteroenterologist yesterday, for the first time in 2 years & told him of all my symptoms. He told me that he would put me on a new medication, and if my symptoms do not improve, I could have hiatal hernia repair surgery. He gave me Dexilant. I took it this morning & my symptoms feel even worse today. My question is this - could my hernia have grown larger over the years & is causing new symptoms? Has anyone had breathing problems b/c of their hiatal hernia? And, did the surgery help with the breathing problems? I'm a little hesitant to have the surgery b/c of all of the horror stories I have heard, but then again, I want to give it a try b/c I am miserable! I can't breathe!
Edit - I gave your thread a topic. :)
Post Edited By Moderator (stkitt) : 4/21/2011 9:22:29 AM (GMT-6)